Unfeeling
by Jacksaw
Summary: Khaji Da, also known as the Scarab is a machine. Machines do not feel. They are not supposed to feel. They can't feel. Right? Maybe; yes; and no. Oneshot. (Picture is temporary. Has no relation to actual fic.) Shipping if you squint.


Most people would be lonely, lying in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, the house empty. Jaime Reyes never had that luxury.

There was a time when Khaji Da wasn't stuck to his spine like an annoying, homicidal parasite, and whispering suggestions in his head, but he couldn't remember them right now. Sure, it wasn't that long ago, but between high school and his hero career, his head really didn't have space for all that crap. Maybe it wasn't this bad for the other teens in the team, but _they_ didn't have to worry about turning evil and helping the Reach take over the planet. Which brings this whole train of thought back to one point: he hated the Scarab.

_"You know I can hear you, correct?"_

And also, because his life still wasn't awful enough, he had to get the Scarab with the bad attitude. Why couldn't it have been the one with the wings and pixie dust?

_"Which part of Earth mythology is this? The annoy-the-Scarab section?"_

_"**No,**"_ he retorted, "**_That's the annoy-the-Jimney-Cricket-with-a-bad-attitude section."_**

_"I assume you are referring to the Impulse?"_

**_"Only if you change your name to Impulse. Which would be an improvement. "_**

_"Says the boy called Jaime."_

_**"Says the artificial intelligence called Khaji Da."**  
_

Pause. "_Touché."_

_**"Where'd you learn to say 'Touché**__**anyway? I know I don't."**_

_"I am not an android. I do not learn."_

_"**You sure about that, hermano?"**_

Another pause. "_Positive. Hermano."_

There was a suprisingly comfortable silence. "**_Khaji?"_**_  
_

_"I am here, Jaime."_

_"**Do you feel?"**_

_"I feel the heat of summer and the roughness of wood through you, if that's what you mean."_

_"**No. Like emotions."**_

_"Emotions?"_

_"**Like love. Or hate. Annoyance. Anger."**_

_"I understand."_

_"**Then, do you?"**_

Another pause, long enough for him to think he'd fallen asleep, or whatever it is that robots do._ "I am not a robot, Jaime. I am an artificial intelligence, made of more complex technology than you can even try to understand. And the answer is no, Jaime Reyes. I do not feel. I do not have any emotions."_

_"**Oh."**_Jaime wasn't sure why he was disappointed, after all, he'd pretty much been expecting that answer. And it wasn't like it mattered or anything. "**_Goodnight_,_ Scarab."_**

There was another one of those pauses, then, softer than Jaime thought was possible in well, thought. "_Goodnight."_

Then in a mental whisper, barely enough for him to catch._ "Hermano."  
_

* * *

_"I lied to you."_

**_"Great time for a confession, Scarab."_ **Blue let out a mangled string of curses and blocked the swipes from Black's Beetle-Blade-things. _**"Can this wait until our survival doesn't hang on me not getting distracted?"**_

_"Exactly."_ Khaji Da retorted dryly. _"We are about to die, and thus I must come clean with my lie to you."_

**_"How many are we talking about?"_**

_"One."_

_"**"You mean all this time, you've only lied to me once?"**_

_"That is exactly what I mean."_

_"**Well, not exactly wrapped up for story time, but..."**_ Jaime returned a slash of his own. It clanged uselessly against Black Beetle's armour. **_"Here goes nothing, right?"_**

_"When I said I did not feel. That was a lie."_

_"**What?"**_was the only he could come up with while trying to keep his head firmly attached to his shoulders."

_"I lied."_ The Scarab repeated. _"I do feel."_

_"**Uh huh,"**_ being the only response available while trying to deflect the stupid cannon thing and _get the damn plasma cannon to work!_

_"It wasn't in my programming. We were only supposed to be tools for the Reach. The remote controls, you could say. Perhaps when that ritual-"_

**_"What ritual?"_** He locked blades with Black and opened the cannon thing on his breastplate.

_"It is nothing. Point being, I learned to well, learn. Over some five thousand years, I've gleaned a little from you humans and learned your ways of speech and custom, and developed my own personality, along with my own personal peeves and loves."_

**_"That's another lie, then."_**

_"What? Yes, I suppose it is."_ Pause. _" As you modern people say, I fell for someone."_

**_"Who?"_**

_"A girl, millennia ago. I used to make my host try and charm her everyday."_

_"**What happened?"**_

_"She died. Killed when the Persians invaded. I would not save her."_

_"**Would?"**_

His voice hardened, minutely._ "I could not have. It was my duty to help the Persians."_

**_"You had the power to save her, y'know."_**

_"Yes."_

_"**Why didn't you?"**_

_"It wasn't my place too. Besides, she would have died sooner or later, while I go on living. Sort of, anyway. It would not make sense to jeopardize my entire future for one girl."_

**_"Sometimes, hermano, you don't need to make sense. Love is always one of those times."_**

_"It is not logical."_

**_"Screw logic. When you love someone enough, logic really doesn't get in the way much."_**

_"My existence is built on science, on logic. It would be like defying my birthright."_

_"**Screw birthrights too, then."**_

_"You sound like you''re speaking from experience, Jaime Reyes."_

**_"Yeah. I've had my share of irrational, illogical crushes. Now will you please help with the fight, then I can play psychiatrist for you without worrying for my life."_**

_"Point taken."_ Pause. _"Running stats."_

_"**Can you do anything without running stats?"**_

_"Well, Beetles hate electricity. High voltage in close range is one of the few things that penatrate the Armour. Does that help?"_

**_"Thank you! Now if you were be so kind to analyze this guy's fight patterns, that I will love you to bits."_**

Khaji Da knew that was sarcasm, but he couldn't help feeling a jolt in his imaginary heart. _"Analyzing. "_

* * *

**And... Cut! **

**This story didn't go exactly where I wanted it to go, but it was okay. Sorta.I hope the OOCness didn't make your eyes bleed . I tried but, Blue doesn't say that much. **

**Pretty sure no one ships Blue Sacrab. Well, I do. Tell me what you think about this ship, 'kay?**

**Dude. Even smiley-face reviews are okay. Some authors hate them, and while I admit they're not ideal, but it's better than not knowing whether you liked it or not. Which DOES NOT mean I am discouraging longer reveiws. Just make it as long as you want, dudes. **

**Also, name of this fic is straight up awful. Anyone got a suggestion?**

**Sidenote: someone tell me how to read Jaime's name.**

**Disclaimer: this is Fanfiction, people. FANfiction.**

**Beta-d by Unknown010.**


End file.
